The Playmaker is an adult contemporary romance between two former best friends. 

Maddie and Cameron were best friends growing up along Maddie’s brother Ethan. But when their relationship started to show a romantic side in middle school Cameron put on the brakes fearing that he’d hurt Maddie. But it broke her heart and she never dated seriously for the rest of her teenage or adult life. Cameron meanwhile has had a series of one-night stands and enjoys a one time hit-it-and quit-it policy. But the chemistry between the two of them never went it away and it boils over in their hometown during their college spring break. 

This book was not great. The dialogue veered wildly between corny and horny and didn’t come off as authentic. The idea that this stunning girl would never find love or romance again because she had her heartbroken in 7th grade was ridiculous. The plot was a while series of modern contemporary romance cliches with the good girl virgin who studies all the time (even during spring break) and the football god who doesn’t do relationships. The only tension is THIS IS MY BEST FRIEND’s SISTER and a bunch of nonsense about if this inexperienced virgin could please this worldly skirt chaser. There is also a throwaway line about how main male character shared a teenage girl’s nudes with the football team in high school (and no he didn’t seem repentant or remorseful) and I’m surprised the publisher left this in. The fact that this is included as part of his man-whore history is gross and made me completely disgusted with him the entire book. 

There wasn’t enough humor, plot or characterization for me unfortunately. The characters felt like cliches and I didn’t really care what they did or said. 

2 stars